Sunday, June 12, 2011

Attack on computer IMF Hunt secrets of the countries in crisis

WASHINGTON - cyberattack against the International Monetary Fund, whose computers are finished being targeted by hackers. This was confirmed by the New York Times a spokesman for the fund, David Hawley, ensuring that the organization is fully operational and that the incident has opened an investigation.

The IMF, which has access to "sensitive" information from many nations, has been hit in recent months from what computer experts have described as a sophisticated cyber attack on a large scale. The New York Times, citing sources within the IMF, said the board was made aware of the attack last Wednesday, lasted just several months.

The organization, based in Washington, holds the secret flights of all 187 member countries and in particular is aware of the actual economic conditions of those at risk such as Greece and Ireland. Material defined by an IMF officials as "political dynamite in many states." The attack was so heavy that the 'sister', the World Bank, which is located physically in front of the IMF, has physically cut off all electronic connection to "precautionary measure".

Confidentiality was such that members of the IMF's board of directors were only informed of the attack last Wednesday. Hard to know who might be behind the attack, according to some experts, who has been illegally introduced into the computer system of the Fund was to install a software that would allow a country to have a "privileged digital presence" in the network of the Fund.

The aim would be to steal sensitive information or to embarrass the organization, to undermine the prestige. It was the latest incident, in order of time, a series of cyber attacks that have targeted high-level institutions and companies such as Lockheed Martin, Sony, Citigroup Inc. and Google.